380 PROTEIN POISONS 



The Production of Fever in Rabbits by Repeated Intra- 

 venous Injections of Egg-white. The injection of a large 

 amount of egg-white intravenously in a single or in repeated 

 doses in non-sensitized rabbits does not cause any marked 

 elevation of temperature. 



After keeping a rabbit under observation for three days 

 and finding that its temperature at no time reached 102, 

 we injected into its ear vein every two hours from 8 A.M. to 

 6 P.M. 4 c.c. of a dilution of egg-white with an equal volume 

 of physiological salt solution, which dilution had been 

 passed through a Berkefeld filter, and each cubic centimeter 

 of which contained 26 mg. of protein as ascertained by a 

 Kjeldahl determination. This dosage was continued for 

 six days. During the greater part of this time the tempera- 

 ture, which was taken before each injection, remained 

 normal, sometimes subnormal, and only once did it reach 

 102. Then the dose was increased to 10 c.c. and con- 

 tinued for four days. Twenty-four hours after the increase 

 in dose there was an irregular, but not marked elevation 

 of temperature, the highest point reached being 104.4. 

 During the whole of the time the animal seemed quite well. 

 Its greatest weight was observed during the time when the 

 largest injections were being given, and at the same time 

 the daily elimination of urine greatly increased, from 114 

 c.c., the average of the fore period, to as much as 650 c.c. 

 at the time of the largest injections. The urine was tested 

 daily for albumin with negative results. This experiment was 

 continued from August 6 to 19, 1909. In March, 1910, 

 a single injection of 5 c.c. of the dilution of egg-white was 

 followed by a gradual rise in temperature to 105.8 within 

 a few hours. 



In order to induce fever in rabbits by the intravenous 

 injection of dilutions of egg-white the doses must be small 

 and the most striking results are obtained when the size 

 of the dose is gradually increased. We have made many 

 experiments along this line and some of them will be 

 detailed. 



